Harry Redknapp's Programme Notes:
Our friendly with Olympiacos last weekend brought to a close our pre-season preparations. Now it is time to get down to the business of putting Premier League points on the board.
We put in a good performance on Sunday. We looked sharp and scored some goals for the supporters against a good team who had a big result in the Champions League only a few days earlier. It was another step up for the players and I was particularly pleased with how we moved the ball about.
It was also great to see a first appearance in our colours for Sebastien Bassong, having only signed for us a few days earlier. He is quick, strong, powerful in the air and we have great confidence in his ability. Everybody I spoke to at Newcastle on the staff was all of the same opinion as us, that he is a great lad and a top player in the making.
Today we welcome Liverpool to White Hart Lane for our Premier League season opener. It is a tough one to start with but all the same, a great fixture to look forward to.
Rafa Benitez has assembled a terrific squad of players at Anfield and I think they will be really strong again this year. They lost only two league games last season, which is an incredible record, and to still not win the league after beating Manchester United home and away was amazing.
They will be bang up there, real title contenders along with Chelsea and United. I wouldn't write off Arsenal or Manchester City either. I think City with the money they have spent and the quality of players they have signed could be a real threat to everybody this year.
It was important that everybody came through the game against Olympiacos unscathed. It is great to play well and achieve a positive result in every game, winning is always a good habit. However, it is all about what we do today because this is when it counts.
A week before the start of last season Spurs beat Roma 5-0 here yet when the campaign began we couldn't win a game. We need to hit the ground running, it is so important. Once you are behind after eight games, as we were last year, it is so difficult. You are playing catch-up.
If we can get points on the board early it carries you. Hull City benefitted from that last season. They made a terrific start and without it they probably wouldn't have survived. We need a good start if we are going to be up there pressing for the European spots.
There is no magic formula. We travelled to Hong Kong to play the Barclays Asia Trophy a couple of years ago with Portsmouth and it proved to be good for us. We won the competition, went back home and started the season flying so I am hoping we can do the same this year with Tottenham.
The aim is to do better than last year. I am looking to build my team here, a team that can push on every year and if we can improve on what we achieved last season and finish higher up the table I will be pleased. We had a fantastic run last season so hopefully we can do the same this forthcoming campaign. I don't see any reason why we shouldn't because we have a good group of players here.
Today will be a real tester for us but we have shown promising signs in pre-season so I am sure it will be a terrific game.
Have a good afternoon.
